Thursday, August 12, 2010
Announcing Back To Basics
There was a time when my kitchen was lined with bottles and jars containing fresh and homemade podis and masalas and pickles and yes, ghee.
But that was many years ago when we lived in Bombay and made monthly trips to Pune; with every trip, we'd return with the choicest of home-made goodies that my mother and MIL would gladly prepare for us.
Then, we moved overseas. And while I armed myself with all the recipes, I never used any of them. I have been purchasing most of my basic masalas and podis and the like for many years now.
I was, however, nudged to look up all those recipes when last month Jaya came up with an event called Back to Basics. One look at the round up and I realised that this was an event that could equip everyone (well, yes, I do have my own very selfish interest here) with many tips and tricks to make cooking and eating simpler, easier and healthier.
I was glad when Jaya decided to continue with the event and I am delighted to be hosting it this month.
Here's what this event encompasses (and this is from the original event announcement):
1. How to and tips on how you make your life easier in the kitchen, by grinding pastes or freezing seasonal fruits and vegetables.
2. Recipes for rubs, marinades and masalas: garam masala, goda masala, dhana jeera powder (corrainder cumin), etc.
3. Posts like Srivalli's 'cooking toor dal for the week and storing in the fridge'.
4. Recipes for concentrates like this lemon concentrate used to make lemonade.
5. A food recipe that goes with the above is totally optional but welcome.
6. All recipes need to be original; if yours is inspired by any other in the blogosphere, do provide a link for the same.
7. Link your post to Jaya's post and my event announcement and send me the URL of your post either by sending me a mail on aquadaze{at}rediffmail{dot}com or by leaving a comment at the end of this post.
8. Archived entries are welcome, please do update them with the links mentioned in point 7 above.
9. Don't have a blog but have lots of tips and tricks up your sleeve? Do mail them to me on the e-mail address mentioned above.
Last date for sending in your entries: Sept. 8.
Looking forward to your entries......
But that was many years ago when we lived in Bombay and made monthly trips to Pune; with every trip, we'd return with the choicest of home-made goodies that my mother and MIL would gladly prepare for us.
Then, we moved overseas. And while I armed myself with all the recipes, I never used any of them. I have been purchasing most of my basic masalas and podis and the like for many years now.
I was, however, nudged to look up all those recipes when last month Jaya came up with an event called Back to Basics. One look at the round up and I realised that this was an event that could equip everyone (well, yes, I do have my own very selfish interest here) with many tips and tricks to make cooking and eating simpler, easier and healthier.
I was glad when Jaya decided to continue with the event and I am delighted to be hosting it this month.
Here's what this event encompasses (and this is from the original event announcement):
1. How to and tips on how you make your life easier in the kitchen, by grinding pastes or freezing seasonal fruits and vegetables.
2. Recipes for rubs, marinades and masalas: garam masala, goda masala, dhana jeera powder (corrainder cumin), etc.
3. Posts like Srivalli's 'cooking toor dal for the week and storing in the fridge'.
4. Recipes for concentrates like this lemon concentrate used to make lemonade.
5. A food recipe that goes with the above is totally optional but welcome.
6. All recipes need to be original; if yours is inspired by any other in the blogosphere, do provide a link for the same.
7. Link your post to Jaya's post and my event announcement and send me the URL of your post either by sending me a mail on aquadaze{at}rediffmail{dot}com or by leaving a comment at the end of this post.
8. Archived entries are welcome, please do update them with the links mentioned in point 7 above.
9. Don't have a blog but have lots of tips and tricks up your sleeve? Do mail them to me on the e-mail address mentioned above.
Last date for sending in your entries: Sept. 8.
Looking forward to your entries......
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You bet these basic things can make our food so much tastier and our lives easier. Nice event, will participate.
ReplyDeletewill try to participate....
ReplyDeletehey Aqua,
ReplyDeleteAlls's well at my end..just that a quick need to shift our house closer to our parents house has kept me busy. Will be back to blogging by September end or October.
Have been missing blogging like crzy! but then let me be done with all that is on hands. Shall make up for all that I've missed :)
All the best for your lovely concept! Happy hosting.... pls miss me ;)
TC
Thank for hosting Aqua. You couldn't have said it better. I wil send something as soon as I am off my feet.
ReplyDeletePS: I used to bring a year's worth of garam masala made by my mom from India. Now, I just use store bought.
Aqa,
ReplyDeleteWill See what i can come up with, I like this event.
I have to agree dear that this back to basics event is amazing !!!
ReplyDeletenice event
ReplyDeleteGood that Jaya decided to continue and that u are carrying the baton now :).Have one ready for u.Will be posting it today.
ReplyDeleteYeh, I am so glad this is not a one-off event. I loved the B2B roundup that Jaya posted. this time will participate for sure. :)
ReplyDeleteBest,
Siri
Sent my entry :)
ReplyDeleteHi Aqua,
ReplyDeleteHere is my entry:
http://siri-corner.blogspot.com/2010/08/back-to-basics-jazz-up-your-water.html
Hugs,
Siri
Here is my entry, basic as can be: http://onehotstove.blogspot.com/2010/08/back-to-basics-crushed-peanuts.html
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for hosting it, there's so much to learn with this event.
More than one entry per person is allowed?
ReplyDeleteHi Aqua,
ReplyDeleteWould like to send my entry too.
Thanks!
Hi Aqua,
ReplyDeleteThis is my entry for the event.
Ginger-garlic paste
http://www.blogger.com/posts.g?blogID=6366947753783454977
Thanks,
Pradnya
Hey Aqua, nice event! Last month's round-up seems good too.
ReplyDeleteI happen to have recently posted Jeera Powder http://ss-blogs-here.blogspot.com/2010/08/jeera-powder.html Hope that's good for this event. Cheers!
Hello Aqua,
ReplyDeleteHere are my entries:
http://zaiqa.net/?p=27
http://zaiqa.net/?p=297
http://zaiqa.net/?p=3102
http://zaiqa.net/?p=1311
http://zaiqa.net/?p=1515
http://zaiqa.net/?p=3146
Thanks,
Mona.
Thank you all for the entries. Just to add that there is no limit on the no of entries.
ReplyDeleteHere is my entry, home made sambhar powder
ReplyDeletehttp://ruchikacooks.com/?p=2996.
I posted another one about freezing and storing veggies from the garden, will that be included as a valid entry if I link it?
Here is my entry. cumin-coconut powder.
ReplyDeletehttp://thespiceracks.blogspot.com/2010/08/back-to-basics-cumin-coconut-powder.html
Hi
ReplyDeleteMy entry to your event:
http://niveditaskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/09/spiced-chilly-powder.html
All the best and waiting for the round up.
Click my blog for many events going on.
Hi Aqua,
ReplyDeleteHeres my entry. http://salt2taste.blogspot.com/2010/09/rasam-podi-and-simple-rasam.html